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In relation with its 2004 direct request, the Committee notes the comprehensive information provided by the Government in its report for the period ending May 2005. The ILO Subregional Office in Bangkok has also brought to the Committee’s attention additional information concerning the application of the Convention.

1. General economic policies. The Committee notes that, over the past decade, the total number of employed persons in the Special Administrative Region has grown by an average of 1.3 per cent per year and that, according to the general household survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department, there were 3,586,300 people in the labour force in 2005 of whom 3,385,500 were employed and 200,700 were unemployed. Another 98,700 were counted as underemployed. Unemployment rates were lower at higher levels of educational attainment: tertiary (3.2 per cent), upper secondary (5 per cent) and lower secondary or below (8.5 per cent). Teenagers had much higher rates of unemployment (21.9 per cent) than average (5.6 per cent). The Committee notes that, in order to address the specific difficulties faced by these groups, the Government has introduced labour market measures which together with a recovery of the economy, have resulted in a decrease in the youth unemployment rate from 15 per cent in 2003 to 9.2 per cent in February 2005. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the policies and programmes introduced and their results in placing youth in employment. Please also provide information on the measures taken to stimulate employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including methods of engaging employer involvement and the process of making vocational training more flexible and market responsive for this particular vulnerable category of workers.

2. Implementation of employment policies. The Committee notes that the Government has introduced a number of steps to ease unemployment, among which are the strengthening of the employment services offered by the Labour Department, enhancing vocational training and employee retraining, and promoting continuing education. The Committee understands that in 2005 the unemployment rate averaged 2.8 per cent, down from 3.3 per cent in 2004. The Committee requests the Government to include in its next report information on the measures taken to avoid the risk of developing labour market segmentation, particularly in view of the increase in atypical forms of employment. In the Committee’s view, measures to promote full employment should allow the Government to create an environment that is conducive to the generation of productive and lasting employment in conditions that are socially adequate for all concerned. It asks the Government to report on the manner in which the measures adopted by Government-sponsored programmes are contributing to the generation of productive employment and improving employment security for workers.

3. Prevention of discrimination. The Committee understands that research conducted by the Equal Opportunities Commission points to complaints about discrimination on the basis of sex. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress made in reducing discrimination against women in recruitment and reducing labour market segmentation in order to ensure the fullest possible opportunities for each worker to qualify for and to use her or his skills and endowments in a job for which she or he is well suited, without discrimination (Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Convention).

4. Consultation of representatives of the persons affected. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that consultations regarding employment policies are held with representatives of workers and employers. The Labour Advisory Board, and others, are involved in the formulation of employment and training policies, and include representatives of persons affected, including workers and employers. Please continue to provide information on the way in which consultation with the groups affected through the boards described in the report has been successful in meeting the employment challenges faced by the Special Administrative Region in responding to rapid changes in the global economy (Article 3).